Engine fuel and method of producing and using the same



Patented Apr. 14, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES J. GREENS'IREET, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI ENGINE FUEL AND METHOD OF PRODUCING AND USING THE SAME No Drawing. Application filed March 10, 1919,

This invention relates to fuels for internal combustion engines, and has for its general object to render capable of such use fuel substances which otherwise could not be so ema ployed.

Stated more in detail, the invention'has for one of its objects to render certain incompletely combustible or relatively incombustible fuel substances substantially completely combustible when used in internal combustion engines by combining therewith or adding thereto an oxidizing agent, or aproper oxygen carrying agent. The invention has for its further object to render certain in- 1 completely combustible fuel substances which are also inexplosive in ordinary types of gas-engines by means of the electric spark, substantially completely combustible and explosive by combining, or adding thereto, an

oxidizing, or proper oxygen-carrying agent and an explosive agent.

My invention is designed particularly to enable hydro-carbon oils having a higher specific gravity than gasoline to be utilized in the ordinary type of gasoline or internal combustion engine.

It is well known that while ordinarily -atmospheric air contains sufficient oxygen to cause the practically complete combustion of gasoline, the amount is insufficient to cause complete combustion of oil fractions heavier than gasoline. To obtain an increase in oxygen, so as to enable heavier fractions of crude oil to be used, it-has been necessary to resort to pressure, as exemplified in the Diesel type of engine, which works under a compression of several hundred pounds, whereby sufficient oxygen is supplied to operate on crude oil products down to the gas oil fractions of 32 B. to 34 13.; and while it is possible, under compression, to use still heavier crude oil fractions down, say, to from 18 B. to 20 B., at the same time the use of these lower fractions has not been found practicable at least in explosive engines.

By my invention these heavier crude oil fractions are rendered usable in internal combustion engines of the Diesel type, or in ordinary types of gasoline engines, by supplying a sufficient amount of oxygen to the oil liquid carrier hydrocarbons,-

Sefial No. 281,736. Renewed August 21, 1930.

to insure complete combustion, and in the case of kerosene, and fractions heavier than t kerosene, by also adding a certain amount of a volatile explosive ingredient to insure that the engine can always be started up when'55 cold, and to assist in effecting the ignition and complete consumption of the relatively incombustible constituents of the fuel.

Various Ways of employing the principle underlying my invention may be adopted. Thus, the heavier than gasoline fractions of crude oil, can be combined mechanically or chemically with the oxidizing agent, or agents, and may be used directly with a liquid hydro-carbon of a higher fraction, such' as gasoline, or any other-liquid fuel carrier whose Vapor, when mixed with air is of an explosive nature or, the-oxygen materials can be held in suspension in another liquid medium such as alcohol, or even water, and then injected into the cylinder, or into the intake manifold of the engine, and exploded with the vapor of the liquid hydrocarbon. When the oxygen material is suspended in water, or other normally inexplosive material, the liquid hydro-carbon fuel employed would have to contain a certain amount of gasoline, or a certain amount of gasoline would have to be: employed initially, to yield the necessary explosive vapor, and its 8 use continued until the engine became sufficiently hot .to volatilize the heavier hydrocarbon employed. On the other hand, if the liquid hydro-carbon employed is free from gasoline, then the oxygen wouldbe combined with, or used in connection with a which itself will yield an explosive agent, such as alcohol. It has been my experlencethat the heavier the oil fraction employed the larger the amount of 0 gen required. Thus, 1n using the next heavier fractions than gasoline of crude oil, a comparatively weak oxygen carrying material can be used; while in using the heavy a strong 'oxidlzing agent would be required. For example, kerosene is the next heavier fraction than the usual gas0- line and naphtha "fraction, in the ordinary distillation of crude oil at atmospheric pressure, and consists mostly of, saturated hydroduct contains a large percentage of the untically all-saturated hydro-carbons,

suflicient amount of an active oxygen-carry ing agent, as explained below. For example,

' air-agitate with from one saturated hydro-carbons. unsaturated hydro-carbons have the property of taking up oxygen, and I saturate these by blowing air-through the product, and should the product contain sufficient unsaturated compounds no further oxygen agent is required, a fact which can be demonstrated by using such product in the engine, when it will show complete, or practically complete, combustion. Should, however, the kerosene fraction not carry sufiicient oxygen by this treatment to show complete combustion, as when the kerosene fraction consists I add a with kerosene made by pressure distillation, I blow air through the same, and afterwards to three percent by volume of the active oxygen agent; said agent being the product resulting from decomposing the percarbonates, persulphates, perborates or dioxides with acid, and carrying approximately, eight to ten volumes of oxygen in solution, or the equivalent in gaseous form. I then add one quart of gasoline to the gallon of the mixture. With kerosene made without pressure distillation, I agitate the kerosene with from three to ten percent of the solution containing eight to ten volumes of oxygen, and then add one quart gasoline to the gallon of the produat,so as to enable the engine to start, esps-tzially in cold weather.

The addition of this explosive agent also insures the ignition and complete consumption of the vapors of the heavier fraction constituents of the fuel. Either of these treatments I have found gives excellent results in an internal combustion engine. It is understood that one canuse the mixture of one quart of gasoline to the gallon of kerosene and inject the active oxygen agent in the intake manifold of the engine, or direct into the cylinder. I

the product contain sufficient moisture to facilitate combustion and prevent any carbon formation, should there be an insufficiency of oxygen, due either to the carburetor not supplying suflicient oxygen, or there not being sufiicient mixture. This mixture is then completely combustible, and gives entirely satisfactory results. Whenthe fractions of crude oil used become heavier, more oxygen material is supplied, or stronger oxidizing agents are used. The proportions of combustible liquid carbon material and oxidizing agentor agents are subject to wide variations and are regulated according to the use to which the fuel is to be put. The range extends from using a small amount of oxygen material, as illustrated in the employment of kerosene, down In this case the of prac-.

vided its vapor is capable of being ignite active oxygen in the cylinder temperatures when carried in an."

explosive mixture,the mixture being benefited and even greater power obtained if used in proper proportions with the nitrates and picrates of the benzol, or the naphthaline series, or with combustible liquids partially oxidized, such as the alcohols.

I have found it quite satisfactory to inject water by itself, or when carrying a proper oxygen agent, into the intake manifold, or direct into the cylinder of the engine, in connection with the use of my improved fuel,

the water serving to prevent the formation or deposition of carbon, should combustion be not complete, and enabling the explosive force to be better regulated.

. The use of a heavier than gasoline fraction of crude oil with a propercombustible oxygen-carrying compound is particularly suitable for truck and tractor engine purposes wheregreat power is needed. The oxy en carrying agent can, when possible, be dissolved in the liquid fuel, or in a medium which will mix or blend with such fuel; or the oxidizing agent or agents can be mechanically mixed with, or held 1n suspension in, a suitable liquid carrier; or so mechanically agitated that the fuel and oxidizing material can be used direct in the engine when the combination is suited for such purose. P I have found that any combustible fluid material that can be properly injected into the engine can be used, such as the alcohols, benzols, etc., instead bons, such as gasoline, above mentioned, rt?- 7 an electric spark.

By oxygen-carrying agent, or oxidizing material, I mean anymaterial whose oxygen carryingjcontent will support or, when decomposed, will make available the oxygen content of same; it being understood that such agent is used in addition to the normal amount of air supplied b the carburetor, sary to enable a gasoline vapor to be exploded.

In using active oxygen made from decomposing percarbonates, persulphates, perborates and dioxides with acid, and where such product is unstable and, as is known, decomposes at ordinary temperatures so rapidly of the light hydro-carcombustion,

orotherwise which woul be neces- V that in from one to two weeks over one half the product is Valueless, it is necessary, where the material is not immediately used, to add stabilizing material, such as a small proportion of an organic amido derivative, to hold the active oxygen and stabilize it, otherwise its property of furnishing oxygen becomes valueless. It is also understood that I am not confined to any volatilizable ox'ygen-carrying agent, but may use any of those oxygencarrying agents which are non-volatile at atmospheric temperatures, but which give'up their oxygen. Any residue from decomposing the oxygen-carrier remaining in the cylinders of the engine, may be freed, if neces sary, by a slight addition of water to cylinders, as explained above.

It is also to be understood that the stronger oxidizing agents can be employed with kerosene, in which case less of the oxygen-carrier product is used.

I claim 1. A fuel for internal combustion engines consisting of a liquid hydrocarbon, hydrogen peroxide and an amido derivative.

2. An explosive mixture for internal combustion engines consisting of kerosene, a per" oxide compound and an organic amido. derivative, substantially as described.

3. A fuel for internal combustionengines consisting of a liquid hydrocarbon, a peroxide, and a stabilizing amido compound.

11113L tesgi'mony whereof, I have hereunto set CHARLES J. 'GREENSTREET. 

